Manufacture of celluloid.



UNITED STAZES PATENT o EIoE.

AUGUSTE BEHAL, or PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNQR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOSPECIAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MANUFACTURE OF CEL LULOID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filedMay 29. 1906. Serial No. 262,927.

and a resident at 4 Avenue e lObservatoire,

Paris, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in theManufacture of Celluloid; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use thesame.

This invention relates to the manufacture ofcelluloid; and it consistsin an improvement on the ordina manufacture whereby borneol issubstitute for the whole or a part of the camphorusually employed;

I have discovered that the borneols, particularly the mixture consistingalmost entirely of iso-borneol; obtained by a direct or indirecthydration of camphenes, possess a property of forming a homogeneousmixture with nitrocellulose in presence of solvents for thatsubstance'such as, for example, ethyl acetate, amyl acetate, acetone, amixture of alcohol and ether, or the like and that the product fromwhich the solvent has been removed constitutes an excellent celluloid.

The following example illustrates the invention: To treat one kilo ofdry nitrocellulose, the material is first moistened with a sufficientquantity of alcohol of ninety-six degrees 'stren contact with t enitrocellulose until the latter has become saturated therewith. Aboutfive hundred grams of iso-borneol or another borneol are dissolved inabout five hundred to six hundred grams of ethyl acetate or some othersuitable solvent of nitrocellulose, and the solution is mixed with themoistened nitrocellulose, the mixture being afterward subjected to theaction of rollers or deprived of its solvent by evaporation in air or byany other suitable procedure. There is thus produced a very goodcelluloid.

The proportions of the solvent may be varied within 'sufliciently widelimits. On the other hand, although it is preferable to moisten thenitrocellulose with alcohol, this is not indispensable.

th, the alcohol being left in- If desirable, camphor may be used,together with borneol b substituting camphor for a portion of thehorneol, the weight of camphor used being equal to that of the borneolwhich it sup lants.

Having thus escribed the nature of my said invention and the best meansI know of ciirrying the same into practical. effect, I c a1m 1. Aprocess for the manufacture of celluloid, consisting in dissolvingborneol in a solvent for nitrocellulose, mixing intimately the dissolvedborneol with the nitrocellulose, and eliminating the solvent after themixture has become homogeneous.

2. A process for the manufacture of celluloid, consisting in dissolvingborneol in a solvent for nitrocellulose, moisteniug the nitrocellulosewith alcohol, mixing intimatel this moistened nitrocellulosewith thesolution of borneol, and eliminating the solvent after the mixture hasbecome'ho'mogeneous.

3. A process for the manufacture of cellu-' loid,consisting'in'dissolving borneol in a solvent for nitrocellulose, mixingintimately the solution of borneol and some camphor with nitrocellulose,and eliminating the solvent after the mixture has become homogeneous.

' 4. A process for themanufacture of celluloid, consisting indissolvingborneol in a solvent for nitrocellulose, moistening thenitrocellulose with alcohol, mixing intimately the moistenednitrocellulose with-the solution of borneol and some camphor, andeliminating the solvent after the mixture has become homo eneous.

5. i processfor the manufacture of celluloid, consisting in dissolvingiso-borneol in a solvent for nitrocellulose, moistening the ni-.'trocellulose with alcohol and mixing the same with the solution ofiso-borneol and finally removing the solvent. In testimony that I myinvention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribingwitnesses. AUGUSTE BEHAL.

Witnesses:

1 CHARLES Assr, -ALcroE FADE.

claim the foregoing as y

